Education Brief
Feb 20, 2026 - Education Brief
Richmond's college grad rate beats national average
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The share of Richmonders 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher rose from about 37% to 41% between the 2015-2019 and 2020-2024 periods, Alex Fitzpatrick and Jacque Schrag report from new census data.
Why it matters: Richmond is faring better than the national average where just 38% of adults held a bachelors between 2020-2024, up from 34% in 2015-2019.
📈 The biggest gains among the 100 largest metro areas: Durham, N.C. (53%, up from 45%); New Haven, Conn. (42%, up from 35%) and Austin, Texas (51%, up from 45%).
- Springfield, Mass. was the only metro with a decrease, dropping from about 33% to 29%.
📊 How it works: That's based on the Census Bureau's latest 5-year American Community Survey estimates.
- 🚚 A given metro's share can increase if more residents get their degrees, or if more people with degrees move into town.